


Take Care

by ProlixProse



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Fluff, Getting Together, M/M, Slow Burn, daycare AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-17
Updated: 2018-02-11
Packaged: 2018-11-01 17:23:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,723
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10926507
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ProlixProse/pseuds/ProlixProse
Summary: “So yesterday,” Tadashi started, sweeping from the large, circular rug adorned with confetti triangle patterns. He made a small chuckle. "Aiko said the cutest thing--"“Which one is that again?” He’s cut off by Tobio, who stepped around him to dump a pile of stuffed animals in a toy trunk. He wiped his hands on his pants as he retreated back to the front desk.Tadashi rolled his eyes, made an amused smile. “She’s got blonde pigtails? Always wears those little camo boots she never takes off? You know," He snapped his fingers in thought, then pointed at him. "The one that tried to put lipstick on you yesterday.”“Oh god. Not her.” Tobio groaned.---Otherwise known as the obligatory Daycare AU Fic





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Ahh, so I finally finished editing the daycare fic! This can, and will, honestly get better, I promise, but I hope you enjoy!
> 
> Also! I want to thank yukikija @ao3 for being my beta for this piece! You were so helpful and so kind! Thank you for the help! <3
> 
> EDIT: Feb. 11, 2018  
> Hiiii everyone! It's been a while since I first uploaded this and, you know, I think the thing that was holding me back (mostly, I mean, besides my computer situation) was not liking the initial first chapter, so I've made some changes!  
> First change: there's more dialogue at the beginning between Tobes and Tadashi. There's a hint that Yachi also works there, and that Tadashi is actually a part-time student as well.  
> Second change: I think there's more dialogue when they're having lunch, watching the kids play outside. There's a hint to Hinata having broken his leg and having needed bed rest.  
> Third change: Tsukishima does not leave Tadashi his number. After a lot of thinking, I thought he probably wouldn't be that forward, so I'm working in some other awkward moments for them. He's gonna get that number somehow, though. 
> 
> That shouuuuld be it, lovelies! Thank you so much for reading! Posting chapter two momentarily!

He'd fallen asleep in the parking lot for fifteen minutes before his shift.

Tadashi lift his head from the steering wheel, checked the time on his phone with a mild yawn, then stretched his arms out above his head.  He felt his forehead, rubbed his hand over his eyes.

He heard another car drive past, then, the click shut of his own car door. Before he realized, and before his brain caught up with whatever was going on around him, his hand was pushing open the door of the daycare center. The shrill ding of a bell sang against the door frame as he entered.

"Hey, you look like shit," Tobio greeted him at the counter, leaning his arms on the tabletop.

“You know, I feel so blessed that every morning I get to wake up, rush here, and hear the lovely sounds of ‘you look like shit.’” Tadashi smiled forcefully. “Music to my ears.” He whispered back, making circular motions next to his head.

Tobio looked him over. “Bad morning?”

“The research papers do not, in fact, write themselves, my friend.” Tadashi sighed, but gave a reassuring thumbs up. “But I’m fine. I just need to wake up.”

“Yeah, sucks for you,” Tobio said, firing up the front computer. “Hitoka’s out today, by the way.”

“Is she okay?”

“Family trip.”

“Oh, that’s good.” Tadashi smiled, shook his shoulders. As if on cue, he yawned again into his palm. He shook off his light sweater, placing it on the rack by the door, a mural of green hills and colorful flowers adorning the walls.

Tracing his fingertip across the wall, he walked into the toy area and stretched, tidying up a bit before the first arrivals came in to drop off their kids.  
It’s the first job he’s had where he looks forward to his entire day, albeit, the day starts at (the asscrack of) dawn.

“So yesterday,” Tadashi started, sweeping from the large, circular rug adorned with confetti triangle patterns. He made a small chuckle. "Aiko said the cutest thing--"

“Which one is that again?” He’s cut off by Tobio, who stepped around him to dump a pile of stuffed animals in a toy trunk. He wiped his hands on his pants as he retreated back to the front desk.

Tadashi rolled his eyes, made an amused smile. “She’s got blonde pigtails? Always wears those little camo boots she never takes off? You know," He snapped his fingers in thought, then pointed at him. "The one that tried to put lipstick on you yesterday.”

“Oh god. Not her.” Tobio groaned.

“No, but listen! She was telling me -- it was so cute, you’d have to hear it in her little voice -- but she was saying she wanted to grow up to be a paleontologist!” Tadashi grinned, shaking his head a bit, hair falling into his eyes as he swept.

Tobio flipped through the check-in book on the counter, resting his hand on his cheek. “Fascinating.”

“She just said the word so perfectly! And she knows so many types of dinosaurs, it’s insane! It’s like she’s a walking encyclopedia, she’s just so cute.”

“Cute?” Tobio snorted. “She told me not once, but twice, that my head was full of nothing but deflated gas and then stuck her tongue at me. Real cute.”

Tadashi snickered behind his hand. “She’s a charmer.” He shrugged, catching the frown on Tobio’s face. He went back to sweeping as the door chimed open, bringing with it the light summer breeze and a girl with camo boots.

“Aiko! Good morning!” Tadashi beamed as Tobio uttered a ‘speak of the devil’ under his breath.

The girl padded inside and immediately ran to Tadashi, holding out a book. “Look what my uncle bought me! Look! Look!”

“Oh okay, let’s see--”

“It’s a book and it has-- it has all these pictures of Cretaceous period of dinosaurs. Here, look at that picture. No, no, this one!” Aiko shoved the book into his hands, took it back and flipped to a few pages until she pointed at a triceratops.

Tadashi bent down to read it with her and nodded along, smiling. “I see. Which kind are they?”

“Aiko, I told you not to run off,” came a voice from the door, the chimes singing again into the center. A tall, blonde man stood stern, fixed his glasses and looked around the place as he shut the door behind him.

Tadashi stood, gave his best warm welcome smile. “Good morning. Are you Aiko’s parent?” He asked, unsure, clasping his hands together in front of him. He didn’t look like the usual person that dropped her off, although they had very similar features.

“Uncle. Her dad had some business this morning-- Do I sign in anywhere?”

“Oh, she talks a lot about you!” Tadashi said, but the man only gave him an odd look and he inwardly deflated, flitting his eyes to the counter. “Um, yes. Just right there on the sign-in sheet is fine.”

The man gave a small ‘thanks’ then moved behind him. Tadashi felt his heart speed up out of nerves. He was way better at handling kids than adults. As he thought this, a hand patted at his leg and he looked down to see Aiko beckon for Tadashi to bend down so she could whisper into his ear. He laughed and complied.

“He seems grumpy, but he’s just a big faker.”

“Oh, really?” Tadashi whispered back.

“Mm-hm. He likes strawberries and--and this morning he kept singing, uhm, this song that goes du-du-dududu. Like that.” She giggled to herself.

Tadashi chuckled, tried to hold back most of the sound as the man glanced behind him at them.

“Okay, why don’t you go show me some more from your book,” Tadashi said, trying not to stare at the stranger as he finished and walked toward his niece. His eyes roamed awkwardly.

“Aiko. I’ll be back at five, okay?” He told her, as if talking to another adult.

“Kay!” She said, flipping through pages in her book and sitting cross-legged on the floor.

He nodded and glanced at Tadashi for a moment before departing. Tadashi felt his face heat up from just that alone. He blamed it on social anxiety.

It didn’t take long for other parents to bring in their kids for the day, and Tadashi greeted each with a warm smile.

Twin boys, both with similar red band-aids on their cheeks dashed to the little train area, zooming their race cars across the tracks over stuffed animal pedestrians. Their mother gave a sigh, explained that one had cut his cheek when he fell and the other one had to get the same band-aid so they could match.

Another girl giggled and pulled at Tobio’s hair when he bent down to talk with her about throwing the play kitchen food. A few others made a make-pretend club, creating handshakes and slapping each others backs every time someone said 'the magic word.'

Tadashi had to scold one after a crying fit had erupted, which was the worst part of his day.

The best part was when they sat down for reading circle, and a few would fetch the coloring books, scrawling over the pages, as others would work perfectly to stay inside the lines. Aiko sat at a beanbag chair, reading her new favorite book and pointing out the different types of dinosaurs to Tadashi.

Tobio's favorite part was outdoor play.

“I hope they run themselves out of energy.” He sat down, after having played a match of volleyball with the twins and four other children. Although, they'd quickly moved on to playing dodgeball with Tobio as their target.

“Hope for the best,” Tadashi said, crossing his fingers and grinning. He sighed out as he sat down beside Tobio on the back steps of the center. “My back’s been aching lately...” He mumbled, hitting his fist at the small of his back as he watched the kids roam on the playground equipment. He stretched his arms out in a yawn as Tobio took a sip of his water bottle and offered him some of his lunch.

Tadashi declined, peeled an orange for himself. “Oh, how’s Shoyou doing by the way? Any news on the leg?” He asked, furrowing his brows.

Tobio confiscated a leaf from a four year old's mouth, staring at his spit ridden hand with defeat. “He’s fine. We’re gonna see his doctor this weekend, but shouldn’t be more than a month until he’s ready to take the cast off.” He said, face full of disgust as he rung out his hand. Tadashi stifled his laughter, then nodded.

“How’s he taken the bed rest?”

Tobio rolled his eyes, wiping his hand on a baby wipe. “I swear to--” Tobio took a breath as Tadashi watched him, then clenched his fist, lowering his voice, “-- fudging god -- if I have to come home again to another voicemail from our neighbors that he’s fallen over god knows where, doing god knows what, because he’s so… ham restless, I’m breaking his other leg --”

Tadashi held his gut, keeling over. “You know he can’t stay still for long.”

“He’s gonna have to figure it out, the little shi --”

A shrill cry came from the sandbox as one of the girls stood and shook her head several times.

“I didn’t do it! She fell!”

"Your turn," Tobio said, immediately, putting his finger on his nose.

Tadashi sighed and stood up. He furrowed his brows at the crying girl and asked to see where it hurt. He then took her inside and told her she could have whatever kind of stickers she wanted, as long as she let him fix the ouchy.

“There you go. All better, right?” He said, placing a Power Rangers bandaid on top of her scraped knee.

The girl sniffed and nodded. “Ahuh.”

“Good girl. Now,” He held out the stickers. “Do you want kitties or birdies?”

The girl looked between them, as if making a business decision and pointed her finger at the bird stickers. Tadashi smiled and handed it to her.

“Nice choice. Birds are my favorite.”

“Can I go play outside again?”

“You can. But, you have to be careful okay? And don’t show off your stickers, then everyone will feel sad and want to get ouchies too.”

The girl nodded and hopped from the small, plastic chair, scampering to the back door where the kids played. Tadashi was busy putting away the first-aid kit when the front door chimed open again, and he glanced up.

“Hi, do you have a child needing to be picked up?” He said in a friendly manner, meeting eyes with the blonde from earlier, then looking away quickly.

“No. Just checking in.” The man replied, shutting the door behind him, scanning his eyes over the area.

“O-oh okay. Well, the kids are all playing in the back now. Was there something you needed?” Tadashi went behind the counter, looked up the first name on the sign-in sheet. “Tsukishima... Kei, is it?”

The man paused, then nodded and Tadashi smiled, averting his eyes.

“This is my first time dropping her off,” Tsukishima started, peering at the back door where the sound of laughter and squealing rang loudly. “Just wanted to make sure everything was okay.”

“Of course! I understand that,” Tadashi replied, gave a small laugh, as he walked around the counter and set to putting some of the toys away. Tsukishima watched him.

“Aren’t they going to take them back out again?”

Tadashi halted, felt nervous. “I guess so. I just -- I kinda have this habit of putting things back.”

“Clean habit.”

“Oh, yeah,” Tadashi breathed out. “I mean, I didn’t always have it. Just recently.” He picked up the pile of stuffed animals used as pedestrians. “My room used to be such a mess.” He laughed, then wondered why the hell he said that. Embarrassment etched his cheeks.

Tsukishima only nodded, looked around the small space. Tadashi winced at himself.

“Anyway -- um -- yeah! Aiko’s fine. She’s a really smart girl. Gets along with all the kids.” Well, maybe not all and certainly not all the time, but that’s just kids being kids. Should he mention that? Maybe not. Or is that withholding information? No, that’s just overanalyzing. Unless, that’s concerning -- no, no, she’s a good kid, why is he overthinking -- ?

Tsukishima barely glanced at him. “That’s good.”

“Yeah…” Tadashi swayed in his spot, felt his head spinning.

Tsukishima checked his watch, then gave a final tilt of his head.

“I should go now. Just came from my lunch break. I’ll be here to pick her up a little after five.”

Tadashi waved, probably too fast, probably smiled too wide. “Okay. We’ll see you then! Have a good day!”

The man barely gave a flicker of a wave back before walking out of the door. Tadashi watched him leave until he was out of sight, then sighed heavily, groaned to himself.

“Smooth.” Tobio stood in the back doorway, arching a brow at him and Tadashi widened his eyes, as if having been caught. He shook his head and continued to clean the front space.

A few hours flew by, and soon, parents walked in to take their children home. There was kicking. There was screaming. There were briberies of candy and forceful smiles. By the end of three kids being picked up, Tadashi felt his face go numb from having to smile so much to appease the parents when their child acted up.

It was fifteen minutes past five when Tsukishima came into the center.

Tadashi didn’t notice, back turned to help some of the kids work on their reading while they waited to be picked up.

“That’s good. Now what does that say?” He pointed to a picture of a fire hydrant, with a bright red illustration above the wording. A small boy squinted at it and Tadashi had to keep his eyes on Aiko from having her yell out the word again. The girl was antsy, raising her hand desperately.

“But, I know what it says! Pleeeaaasssee!”

Tadashi shook his head. “Let Eiji figure it out on his own.”

The boy hummed for a while, twisted his expression. “Ffffiiii--eeerrrr. Hiiii… Hiiii...”

“That’s a good start.” Tadashi encouraged, glancing behind him to see if anymore parents had come in. He met eyes with Tsukishima, who stood by the counter watching them. He made his way over, throwing back his head to turn and tell Eiji to keep practicing.

“Hi, I’m so sorry. Were you waiting long?” His eyes flicked to Tobio, who shrugged back at him with a deadpan stare.

Tsukishima looked behind him. “Not long. Is she ready to leave?”

“Oh, yes. Let me tell her you’re here.” Tadashi turned back to the children and Tsukishima watched as he bent down to tell her it was time to go home. (He tried not to let his eyes linger, decided to stare at the carpet.)

“But I don’t wanna go!” Aiko whined. Tadashi finished packing her things into her backpack, but Aiko flung herself onto the beanbag chair, crossing her arms.

“Eiji will be all alone if I go! I want to stay!”

“Aiko, I have to get you home,” Tsukishima said. Aiko pout her lip, furrowed her brows. A glistening started to form in her eyes. Tadashi knew that look too well.

“No. Stop. That’s not going to work with me.”

Aiko started to sniff, the saddest puppy dog expression accentuating her features. ‘Oh, she’s practiced this,’ Tadashi thought, looking impressed.

“B-but…”

Tsukishima held his stance, but Aiko was relentless.

“I -- I thought you said I could ask for whatever I wanted. You -- you said -- you said as long as I was a good girl, then I could do whatever I want when Daddy was away. You said!”

Tadashi could see the twitch in Tsukishima’s expression. He bit back a smile.

“You get thirty minutes--”

“You’re my most favorite uncle in the whole wide world!” Aiko squealed, sprang up to give him a small hug and returned to her friends.

Tadashi watched the exchange and inched toward the defeated man.

“I guess she won that battle.” He laughed softly. Tsukishima crossed his arms.

“She only says that when I give in.”

“Says what?”

Tsukishima glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. “‘I’m her favorite,’” he emphasized the words in quotation marks, shaking his head. “She’s got two uncles -- technically three, but only by association.”

Tadashi smiled. “Well, maybe you are her favorite. You’re the only one she ever seems to talk about.” He said, fingers fidgeting behind his back as they watched her try to read to her friend.

Tsukishima looked around at the area, took a seat at one of the blue, plastic chairs lining the large front windows. “You did say that earlier.”

Tadashi watched the kids surround the small coloring table and took a seat as well. He smiled, rubbed a hand at the back of his neck. “It’s true. She likes to tell stories about her dad and her uncle--"

"All lies." Tsukishima crossed his arms, a humorous bite to his words. Tadashi laughed.

"Yeah, I'm sure," he conceded.

Tsukishima narrowed his gaze. "She's a rotten liar for a five year old. She should know better."

"Know better to lie or not to lie?"

"Lie, obviously. It's a necessary skill."

Tadashi snorted a laugh, snickering into his palm. He felt his the tips of his ears burn, then heard a small huff of laughter from beside him. He relaxed his shoulders.

“Right. How else will she get ahead in life?"

"It's a true art form."

"Especially with aspirations like hers-- paleontology? Are you serious? I couldn't even pronounce that at her age--"

"Oh, so she told you about that."

"Never stops! I love it. She has such a passion for someone her age -- I mean, it’s… it’s incredible -- And she's so bright, it’s amazing how bright she is," Tadashi praised, beaming.

Tsukishima glanced at him, then looked away, shifted in his seat. He seemed on the verge of a thought, then discarded it, simply checking the time on his phone and breathing out.

"It’s getting late,” he cleared his throat and Tadashi nodded. “Aiko. Come on, we have to go."

Aiko looked up from coloring, tried the pleading eyes once more, but knew the effort was in vain once Tsukishima stood, arms crossed.

"It's getting late. Get your stuff.”

Aiko sighed dramatically and dragged her arms as she put away her book, then put the straps of her backpack on her shoulders. Tadashi watched with fondness. He gave a small wave as he stood as well.

"Bye, I'll see you tomorrow!"

Aiko grinned for him, giving him a quick hug before scampering to the door. Tsukishima led her out, and Tadashi fought the dryness in his mouth and the fidgeting of his fingers to wave goodbye to him as well.

"Have a good night! Take care," he said, smile bright, heart pounding. Tsukishima nodded to him, then retreated, and finally, finally, Tadashi's insides stopped squeezing.

He remembered their conversation, playing it over in his head for good measure. He hoped to some god he hadn’t sounded as dumb as he felt.

A short whistle came from the front desk as Tobio raised a brow at him. Tadashi looked over, rubbed the back of his neck, realized he was still waving, then proceeded to picking up toys.

As tired as he was, he felt he wouldn't get too much sleep that night, and it wouldn’t only be because of some research project or a school deadline. His stomach was filled in a fluttering frenzy with the thought of a snarky voice, huffing out laughter beside him on a small, plastic blue chair. He laughed to himself.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Mommy gives me tickles and kisses my head.”
> 
> Kei stared down at her, putting her backpack in the seat next to her. “Do you want me to give you tickles and kiss your head?” He asked, deadpanned.

Kei took ahold of Aiko's hand, watched as she swung herself up with it, humming toward her shoes.

She grasped the strap of her backpack, trying to bring it up her shoulder. He fixed it in place for her, then pat the top of her head. He heard her giggle.

"Are you hungry?" He asked, hearing the closing of the daycare center door behind him. A couple of voices followed them in the wind. Kei almost turned his head toward the sound as Aiko hummed next to him, telling him she wanted fish -- no, ice cream, could they have ice cream?

"Daddy says he likes mint ice cream best."

"Mm," Kei nodded, opening the car door for her and watched as she climbed into her car seat. "Buckle up."

She strapped herself in, kicking her legs back and forth as Kei took the seat belt and positioned that over her, clicking it shut.

"Good?" He asked and she scrunched her nose at him, weighing her head.

"Mommy gives me tickles and kisses my head."

Kei stared down at her, putting her backpack in the seat next to her. "Do you want me to give you tickles and kiss your head?" He asked, deadpanned.

Aiko tapped her chin, then decidedly shook her head. "Nope. That's Mommy's thing. You do your thing."

Kei raised a brow, but nodded.

"What's my thing, then?"

Aiko shrugged, as if he'd asked her a stupid question. "I don't know! It's _your_ thing."

Kei blew out a breath. He crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes at his niece, who watched him critically. She was born with intelligent eyes.

"Fine." He reached down and came eye level with her. She looked at him curiously. He peered down at her shirt, made a shocked expression.

"Aiko, what is that?" He asked, dead serious. Her eyes widened and she immediately looked at the source before a flick of a finger met her nose and she gasped, holding onto it.

Kei had let out a snicker. Aiko looked betrayed.

"I don't like that game! Don't laugh!"

Which, of course, only made Kei laugh again.

"You're a meanie!"

"Sit back in your seat."

"I'm telling mommy you're a meanie!"

Kei shut the car door as she continued to thrash, putting a hand to his face. Okay, he fucked up all because he thought a four-year-old would have a sense of humor. He opened his own car door and slid in, wracking his brain for something more useful. He turned to buckle himself in, watched her expression change from hurt to anger. She stuck her tongue at him.

"I'm sorry I'm a meanie," he said.

"Hmph!" She crossed her arms and looked away, squeezing her eyes shut. Kei tapped his fingers against the wheel, blew out a breath. He had nothing, deciding to just let the tantrum pass. She usually gave up on her anger when there was something else to distract her.

The car drive was bumpy and long, and it only took four minutes of silence before Aiko couldn't help it any longer, kicking her legs out in front of her. She looked antsy and Kei caught her gaze in the rearview mirror.

"Don't kick the chair," he said offhandedly, knowing she would still kick the chair. "Need to pee or something?"

Aiko shook her head, mumbling something.

"What?" Kei asked, looking behind him for a moment.

"Cold..."

Kei raised his brows. "Oh. Sorry." He hadn't even realized how brisk it was. He turned the heat on and the car was slowly blanketed in warmth. (He was just winning some kind of uncle-of-the-year award, wasn't he?) Aiko hummed happily.

"Just tell me when you need anything. Deal?" Kei reminded her. "Let's add that to the rules."

Aiko nodded, rubbing her pink nose and soon beginning a chatter. Kei glanced at her in the mirror as her face lit up. He wasn't ever going to get used to a kid's thought process.

"And then after _that_ we had Reading Circle and my teacher said I had the best enunciations! And then I showed my book, but Mirai tried to rip the page, so I took it from her and she fell and started crying -- and it wasn't _my_ fault, but I had to say sorry! And I had to say sorry for calling her a big baby too, but she _was_ a big baby!"

Kei turned on his signal light, ready to take a right at the intersection, and fixed his glasses. The blaring red contrasted with the darkening sky. "She sounds like a big baby."

"She _was_!"

Kei made a small hum in reply and Aiko spewed out a heavy, dramatic sigh.

"Long day?" He said, dry.

"I miss Mommy and Daddy," she grumbled, gazing out the window. Kei looked at her from the rearview mirror, then glanced down at his phone.

"They said they'll call when they get to their hotel. Be patient."

Aiko only sighed louder, inching more toward the window.

Kei looked back toward the road, tapped his fingers on the wheel.

"We can have some ice cream when we get home. We'll just tell mom and dad it was a reward for your good reading."

Aiko whipped her head back at him at the sound of ice cream.

"I want mint chocolate chip!"

"Fine."

Aiko beamed, whisper shouting a small 'yes!' to herself in the backseat. Kei shook his head at himself. He gave in way too easily to see that smile.

A second later, his phone rang.

He glanced down for a second as Aiko perked up, leaning forward in her seat.

"Is that Daddy?"

He answered, pressing the speaker button.

"You've reached the answering machine of someone who can't be bothered right now. Please leave a message --"

" _Haha, real funny, Kei. How's everything?"_

"Daddy!" Aiko squealed, leaning forward in her chair. Kei glanced back at her.

"Sit back," He chided and she ducked her head, but did as told.

" _Hi sweetie!"_

"Daddy, we're getting ice cream for dinner!"

Kei rolled his eyes. He's never telling her anything again. He made a note to tell her that later.

" _Oh, really_?" He heard Akiteru say, stretching the syllables.

"Her teacher said she did well in Reading Circle --"

"I had good enunciations!" She said, proud.

A light-hearted laugh could be heard from the other end.

" _Okay, well then I guess that's a good reason --"_

" ** _Wait, are you on the phone? Who's that? I told you to wait_** _\--"_

"Mommy!"

" ** _Babyyy! How are you feeling? Is uncle treating you okay_** _?"_

"We're getting ice cream!"

Kei heard a barking laugh on the other end. Saeko usually had a way of making it sound simultaneously infectious and terrifying to the ears.

" **_Hey, Kei, has Ryuu been over yet? I asked him to look over the yard when you're at work_ ** _._ "

"Hasn't yet."

" **_Ooh, I'm gonna_ ** _\--_ "

" _It's fine!_ " Akiteru laughed, trying to keep the peace. " _I talked to him and he said he wouldn't be able to get there until around tomorrow afternoon._ "

" **_Well, what has he been doing this whole time_ ** _?_ "

"I'm betting another wild shopping spree for his niece again." Kei shrugged.

" **_I told him to stop spoiling her_ ** _!_ "

" _Kei!_ " Akiteru took ahold of the conversation again. " _How was picking up Aiko at the daycare today?_ "

"Fine." He said, gazing at the road.

" _The employees are really nice, did you let them know again about our absence?_ "

"No, I walked in and passed as her father."

" _Funny._ "

"Yeah, they know."

_"_ _Good. We should be back in two weeks--"_

"Mommy! Daddy! I miss you! When are you coming back?" Aiko started to whine.

_"_ _Soon sweetie! Really soon! Uncle's gonna take care of you until we get back home."_

" ** _And he's going to read you three books before bed every night_** _!"_

"You promise?" Aiko rubbed her eyes, sniffed. Kei resigned to his fate.

The call ended with a flurry of "I love you's" and more declarations of what Kei would do to keep Aiko happy while they were away. It was now up to four stories and a song before bed -- and to play with her and her stuffed animals on Saturday if uncle Ryuu didn't haul his butt over to their house before then. Needless to say, it was music to his ears when he'd ended the call, and the rush of silence enveloped the car. Save for Aiko's humming and the soft kicks to the back of the passenger seat.

After dinner, which consisted of leftovers Saeko had made, with sticky note instructions no less, they sat on the couch. Aiko played with the arms of her stuffed purple triceratops, grasping at her spoon, plunging it into her bowl of mint chocolate chip goodness.

"Did you know we don't know what colors dinosaurs could have been?" She said between mouthfuls. Kei flicked on the television, trying to skip over movies they'd seen a million times before her eyes could catch it. He tried for a documentary on bees.

"Did you know that the chicken is the closest known relative to the T. Rex?" He said, dipping his spoon into his cup of strawberry ice cream.

Aiko looked up with wide eyes, gaping her mouth at him.

"No way!"

" _Way_." He booped her nose. She giggled at him, flicking his arm away, seeming more accustomed to the gesture.

Several bites of ice cream and two story books later, her eyes started to droop closed and she rested her head at Kei's side, curling into him. He looked down, ran his hand through her hair and closing the chapter they were on.

His eyes gazed around the empty house, large and framing. Different from his small apartment, with its single closet and decaying house plants by the window, several of which were given to him as housewarming gifts.

His brother's house was warm. Inviting. A welcome mat at the door and a cozy nook by a window sill greeted his eyes in the dark lit living room. By his side, a small white breakfast table stood silent at the corner, white lilies in a yellow vase decorating its center. They seemed much more full of life than his own plants.

Aiko breathed deeply at his side, head weighing heavy in the crook of his arm. Carefully, he removed himself from the couch, then took grasp of her, carrying her to her bedroom down the hall.

After tucking her in, noticing her stir, he brought her speckled bear to her side. She breathed softly. Kei took in the scene and a smile lifted itself from the corners of his cheeks.

And the house seemed to rumble, soft, as well. Sleepy and quiet. Kei yawned, opening his laptop and cleaning his glasses. The bright screen met his eyes fiercely. He checked his emails, rubbed his eyes, and set to work.

Until his phone buzzed on the table. Taking one hand off of the keyboard, he squint at the caller ID.

Oh for fucks sake.

He picked it up. "I'm busy. Aiko's already asleep."

"You should address people when you greet them, Tsukishima!"

Kei only slumped in his seat, scrolling through his emails with boredom. _Tanaka Ryuunosuke, everyone_ , his mind announced to a clapping audience inside his head. The current bane of his existence.

"What do you want?" 

Kei was too busy reading his laptop screen, holding the phone away from his ear as his dear brother-in-law shouted into it. He swore he could hear the spit emit from his mouth.

"Yuu told me that his friend told him that he knows this one guy who works at Aiko's daycare and that you've been spoiling my good name."

"What good name?"

"Let's just get this clear once and for all. I'm the superior uncle!"

"Just because you buy her excessive gifts and candy --"

"Don't even play that card, you know damn well you're weak for her too."

Kei, at this point, rubbed his temple in exhaustion.

"Isn't it bedtime for you?"

"The amount of disrespect-- listen," Ryuu said, switching the tone of his voice. Kei waited, watching the sky outside the window grow darker. "The reason I called is that I've met a few obstacles heading into town, so I can't make it in until next week --"

"Are you serious?" Kei hissed, letting his hand fall atop his keyboard. "Saeko's pissed already and I need to catch up on work, I can't just --"

"You're a freelancer, it's not like you need to be anywhere else! My job won't let me go until at least Monday!"

"I'm looking into other jobs too. I don't have all the free time in the world!" He whisper-shouted into the phone.

"Just deal with it 'til Monday! Shit! Look, I already called Yuu and he says he's good to help out --"

"God, no thanks. He almost burnt the kitchen last time he was over."

"And he's said sorry! Okay, you're about to get on my last -- ooh," Kei could hear Ryuu grumble in the background and held the phone away from his ear. "Monday. Just take care of things for the rest of the week, okay? And tell Aiko her favorite uncle loves her."

Kei hung up before he could finish his next sentence and laid his phone face down on the table. He put his head in his hands, combed his fingers through his scalp as he bent over his laptop.

When he finally resurfaced, his laptop screen shut off from lack of use, and the sky was pitch dark. The house groaned and creaked around him, shrouding him in a cave, a chasm of black. He sighed into it, rubbing his head again.

Okay, a week. It was a week of him and Aiko and maybe the leftovers from the nice elderly neighbor next door. A week without watering his plants, which were halfway to death at this point anyway, so he guessed there was no use in going back to his apartment any time soon.

His head shifted to the daycare center. A week of pickup and drop off came to mind, but so did the sound of a kind laugh, and the warm smell of vanilla coming from somewhere inside that he couldn't place, but it was cozy. It was cozy, and he felt heavy. He shut his eyes.

If he tried hard to remember the next morning, there might have been a dream about a grassy mural with flowers and a smiley strawberry. The back ache and neck crick might distract him from it, though.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IT HAS BEEN A MINUTE  
> I'm so sorry, please take my humble offering  
> A forewarning, I am never 100% good with what I write. To me, it's like my writing is hearing myself on a recording. You know how you hate the sound of your own voice, but people tell you you don't really sound like that? Yeah!  
> I am sorry for the late update though. And to the people that do love my writing and this story, thank you so much for your support, you lovely people <3 From the bottom of my heart, I appreciate every kudo, comment, and bookmark - and even the asks in my tumblr begging me to update. Thank you! My goal at any time is to make at least one person smile, and I hope that person might be you! Or you! or you over there -- you get the idea haha -- anyway enough rambling. Happy reading! *tips hat*


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